Come to my window...

So how do we start...Well first, an introduction...

Probably, just like some of you, I have experienced toiling till the wee hours of the morning on manipulating data files while drinking endless cups of coffee.  Doing it while listening to some favorite music? Instead of coffee, drinking alcohol while working (this can be a very bad idea).  Or your style might be working, while downloading "free" music and movies (I do not officially admit this).

Anyhow, at one point, WE TOILED!  Getting to know the data, watching out for skips, complaining about too many errors..We toiled, using Excel, Stata, SAS.  It gets to be too frustrating sometimes, but admit it or not....

YOU GET A KICK in watcing your stata do-files run smoothly, like the "perfect" stream of characters in the MATRIX movie. 

YOU CURSE whenever a "bump" is experienced along a do-file.  But once the bump is fixed, you are A-OK again....ONLY TO REALIZE AFTER THAT YOU DID NOT SAVE THE DO-FILE OR MADE A LOG-FILE.

If you have experienced or are currently experiencing either of the two things above, good for you!  But i think this blog is NOT for you since you should be busy looking at your stata or excel files right now :) .  If not, you are probably not yet working hard enough! 

This blog, STATA TOILER, is for people like me...those who like to:

1.  Look at data sets.

2.  Arrange data sets and complain.

3. Create do-files.

4.  Discover new commands which hopefully will make things faster.

5.  and has to hone their analytical and data manipulation skills to be continuously EMPLOYED!

But seriously, this blog is really FOR ME!.

1.  To gather thoughts from other stata toilers on how best to approach STATA problems and Excel programs;

2.  To release tension when I need a break from all these do-files;

3.  basically, to keep track of my files :)

This BLOG will include things related with data manipulation, either directly or indirectly.  I would probably post things DIRECTLY related with stata, stuff like do-files, excel tips, commands, etc.  AND things not really directed with data manipulations like...

1.  How productivity in working increases after BUYING something impractical :)

2. What music works best when toiling away till the morning, or the next night.

3.  The simple joys of having coffee while working

4.  The importance of a PRIVATE SPACE

At times, this blog can be motherly :), encouraging, but there will be BITCHY turns ahead.  

So.  THERE!